It's Better Together
by xthing1x
Summary: The continued story of Abby and Luka throughout season twelve. Will start at the end of 'I Do,' but will most likely flashback from beginning to end. [Chapter 5: Soul to Squeeze].
1. Here With Me

Author's Note:

This will most likely be a WIP, covering a few key scenes throughout season twelve and adding in a bunch of my own. If not, I'll just leave it as a one-shot. If you liked it, please review. Constructive criticism is of course welcome, but please remember, this was written for the sole purpose of having fun. :)

* * *

Chapter One – Here With Me

_I won't go  
I won't sleep  
I can't breathe  
Until you're resting here with me_

-Dido "Here With Me"

_

* * *

_

_How could he possibly expect me to just sit here?_ I thought, staring at him throughout our now silent conversation. _He's practically begging me to send him an invitation upstairs_. But for some strange, unforeseen reason, I couldn't find the right words to appease the situation.

It wasn't as if I didn't _want_ him to come up to my apartment, quite the contrary, and I think we both knew exactly what would happen if I did. For the fifth time that night I cursed myself for even mentioning the words 'stay friends.'

I tilted my head slightly to one side as he moved his eyes from the front of the car back to me. _Maybe he'll say something_, I thought excitedly. But I was highly disappointed. The car remained as quiet as it would have been had neither one of us occupied the front seats.

Finally, it was me who broke the at best awkward silence. "Would you like to-"

But I was cut off by the attack of his lips on mine. _So much for making the first move_, I thought. He snaked his hands behind my head, pulling me even closer as his tongue probed my lips. I was once again reminded that Luka Kovac was quite possibly the most amazing kisser to grace the planet. It took all that I had not to tear off his clothes right here in the car. Instead, I settled for climbing into his lap as we both succumbed to two weeks worth of pent-up sexual frustration.

"Abby," He breathed after nearly fifteen minutes had passed. "W-what was it you were going to ask me?"

"What?" I answered, completely incredulous. Then it dawned on me that I was indeed going to ask him to come upstairs with me. "Oh, right…would you like to come up?"

He simply nodded his approval, working with the quick precision characteristic of the doctor that he was. In one swift motion, he swept me up into his arms and opened the car door.

"Luka, just let me walk," I murmured. He didn't pay me any attention as he carried me through the front door and up the stairs, still kissing my neck. "What if someone sees?"

"Let them see," He replied huskily.

We finally made it to the front door of my apartment, despite the fact that he hadn't ceased kissing me for the entire duration. I reached out to open the door, slamming it behind us after he had successfully stepped over the threshold.

He placed me back on the floor, quickly removing each of our coats and my blouse with surprising agility. He ran his hands up and down my back, and I couldn't resist giggling when I realized, albeit failing miserably, what he was trying to accomplish. "It unhooks in the front," I whispered playfully into his ear.

"Oh," He replied, blushing slightly. Once he had corrected his mistake, I began unbuttoning his shirt.

"Abby, are you…do I need to?" I knew what he was trying to ask, and I was glad he did. I honestly couldn't recall my last coherent thought, and contraception was certainly the furthest thing from my mind at this point.

"In the bathroom," I replied. "Second draw from the left under the sink." He nodded and after kissing me soundly, headed down the hall.

I closed my eyes, still reeling from what had just happened. 'You're about to have sex with Luka for the second time in a month,' I thought to myself. But the oddest part was, there were no other thoughts accompanying that statement. There had only been one person on my mind for the last few months, and he was currently residing in my bathroom.

Luka returned after a few minutes, fully unclothed. He grinned, reaching out to unhook my hair as I unzipped my pants. What is it with men and hair anyway? As if to prove my point, he ran his hands through mine, kissing the skin his hands exposed.

"You're so beautiful, Abby," He breathed into my hair. I pressed my forehead against his, unsure of what to say. Those words meant more to me than anyone could ever begin to know. I took his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze and lead him to my room.

We fell back against my bed, our mouths reconnecting with just as much if not more passion than they had in the car. Our tongues danced as I ran my hands along his back, his still, not surprisingly, running through my hair.

Suddenly, a million thoughts were fluttering around my head. Making love with Luka had never felt so right, but I just had to be sure the feeling was mutual. Reluctantly, I pulled apart with a cross between a gasp and a moan.

"Do you really think we should be doing this?" I questioned breathlessly. He grabbed my waist and flipped me onto my back, putting himself on top.

"I do," He replied fervently, reclaiming my mouth with his. I responded readily, pouring all that I felt for him into that one, passionate kiss. I knew that was the only confirmation I would ever really need.

* * *

"So I guess that's it, then?" I asked, hours later. I lifted my head off his chest to look him in the eye.

"What's it?" He replied, furrowing his brow in confusion.

"We're back together."

"Oh," Realization dawned on him. He grinned playfully. "Yeah, we are."

I grinned back. "I never thought that would happen."

"Why not?"

"Well," I sighed pensively. "You and I have never been very good at well…_communication_ and I thought that the conversation we had after the plane crash was it for us."

"I didn't want it to be," Luka replied softly, kissing my forehead. "I wanted to be with you even then, Abby."

"I did, too," I nodded. "I just didn't know how to tell you, and I wasn't sure if you felt the same way." We both fell into silence, contemplating what was said that night.

"We needed it, I think," Luka stated after a few moments. "It gave us a chance to accept that this was what we wanted."

I smiled, running my finger in lazy circles across his chest. "I think so, too."

He reached over, grabbing my alarm clock from off my nightstand. "It's almost five," He said. "When are you on?"

I groaned. "Six." He grinned mischievously. "What's so funny?" I asked as he pulled the covers off his body and climbed out of bed.

"I'm on, too, so that's just enough time to shower," He said, grabbing my hand and pulling me out of bed with him. "And for me to make breakfast."

"In one hour?" I asked, quirking a single eyebrow.

"Well, we'll just have to improvise, won't we?" He whispered, nibbling on my earlobe. "We can shower together."

How could I possibly refuse?

* * *

So, what did you think? Should I leave it as a one-shot or continue? Please review. 


	2. Torn

Chapter Two – Torn

_I'm all out of faith_

_This is how I feel_

_I'm cold and I am shamed_

_Lying naked on the floor_

-Natalie Imbruglia "Torn"

* * *

"Abby, wake up," Luka whispered in my ear, his hand shaking my shoulder gently. "It's Christmas Eve." He laughed as I groaned miserably.

"Luka, you're not supposed to wake someone up for Christmas Eve," I explained groggily, shoving my head under my pillow. "Just Christmas."

"Well, let's start a new tradition then," He replied with a grin. "Come on, I made waffles, eggs, bacon, and coffee," He rubbed my back encouragingly. "You love coffee."

I sighed deeply and came out from under my pillow. Really, there was no sense in denying it. I did love coffee, and Luka could be very stubborn when he wanted to be. With great reluctance, I hoisted myself out of bed where he had my robe waiting for me.

"It's a little cold downstairs," He said, helping my arms through the sleeves. "I have socks for you, too." I laughed.

"What?" He asked, frowning in confusion. I smiled and kissed him gently.

"Nothing, you're just very sweet." He smiled back and handed me the socks. After putting them on and tying my robe, we headed downstairs to eat.

"Is there something wrong with your breakfast?" Luka asked, watching concernedly my still-full plate.

"No, it's delicious," I replied, staring down at the food. And it was, but the taste wasn't the problem. It was the smell that was getting to me. For some strange reason, the normally contenting aroma of breakfast was making me positively nauseous. "I guess I just don't have an appetite this morning."

Luka frowned. "You need to eat," I waved my hand dismissively. "I'm serious, Abby, it's very important to eat in the morning."

"I know, I know," I replied, getting up from the table. "I'll tell you what. Haleh left a message on my phone last night asking if I could pick the cake up for the Christmas party tonight. I'll wrap some of these waffles up and eat them on my way." Luka continued to frown, but nodded his approval regardless. I walked around the table and kissed him on the forehead. "See you at work?"

"Yeah, of course," He replied, squeezing my shoulder. I grinned and made my way out of the kitchen, stopping just in front of the calendar on the wall. It was then that I made a very important discovery. There was something missing…something _extremely_ important.

"That can't be right," I thought aloud, counting the boxes that led up to the December the 24th. "It should have came sometime last week…"

"What was that?" Luka asked. But I ignored his question, too lost in my thoughts. How could I possibly have forgotten to check the calendar _all week_? "Abby, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," I answered a little too quickly. "Nothing's wrong, I just forgot to write something down on here." I pulled a pen off the counter, scribbling something inaudible on the bottom of the calendar as to support my story. "There, it's fine now."

"All right," He replied, sounding relatively convinced.

"Ok, I'm going to head out," I said, grabbing a few waffles with a shaky hand. He nodded, waving as I walked out of the kitchen. If only he knew that something most certainly _was_ wrong, and that things couldn't possibly be 'fine now.'

_

* * *

_

_How could I have missed this?_ I thought to myself. I leaned my head up against the El Train window, mentally cursing myself for my stupidity. _My period has never been this late before_. But that, of course, wasn't true. There _was_ another time, years and years ago, that it had indeed been late. The thought alone was making my already queasy stomach lurch. I couldn't be pregnant again…could I?

_Well, it would explain why I couldn't eat breakfast_," I mused, remembering the still-uneaten waffles that I had simply discarded on the way to the train. _Heightened sense of smell and all_...

I groaned, banging my head back against the window in frustration. The past few weeks with Luka had been so much better than I ever dreamed they would be, and now the might as well have never happened. A baby would change everything, and not necessarily for the best. What right did two busy doctors who had only just begun their relationship have bringing a baby into their hectic, unstable lives? None whatsoever.

_But it happens every day_, I reminded myself, thinking of all the doctors I knew with children and families of their own. Suddenly, I found myself contemplating what my life would be like with a baby…a baby with Luka.

The train stopped abruptly and I watched as a man outside carried a small boy on his shoulders. The boy tugged at his father's hair, giggling madly as his father reached up to tickle his sides. I smiled in spite of myself. Luka could have that…_we_ could have that.

I closed my eyes, unwilling to think about it any further. I didn't know if I was pregnant or not, but I did know that nothing, regardless of the outcome, would ever be the same again.

* * *

"Abby, you have a fax," Frank called from admit, pulling a small sheet out of the machine and handing it to me as I walked by. "It's from the lab."

"Thanks, Frank," I replied, snatching the sheet out of his hand and practically running toward the lounge. I needed privacy for _these_ results, that's for sure.

_This is it_, I told myself, biting my lip. I remembered how nervous I was a few hours earlier when I made my way back down from the lab after having taken a blood test. I knew it would seem like forever having to wait for the results…the results to determine if I was indeed pregnant or not. And yet, here they were. Suddenly I wished forever had lasted just a bit longer than originally anticipated.

With surprising courage, I glanced down at the paper and scanned it carefully. I closed my eyes after reading the last line, not bothering to recheck. The results were positive. It didn't take any amount of time in medical school to figure that one out. I certainly _was_ pregnant.

The next few hours spent at work passed rather uneventfully, with only one thought lurking in the back of my mind. Pregnant. The word seemed to stalk me where ever I went. Anywhere I turned, a million images raced through my head of what it would be like to have a baby with Luka, followed almost immediately by what it would be like to _not_ have a baby with Luka.

However, regardless of my inner battle, I knew I had to let him know. The first time I was pregnant, I didn't even bother to let my husband know. There was no way in hell that I could keep that baby, not while my marriage was ending. I didn't even think twice about making an appointment to have an abortion, and even though I felt a little remorse over getting rid of my baby, I knew I had made the right decision. But now, I was completely unsure of what the right decision was. All I knew was that I had to tell Luka, and fast. If I put it off, it would just get more and more difficult. No…it had to be done tonight.

I decided that I'd tell him after the Christmas party at Ike's. There was no sense throwing us both off our game at work, and I didn't want to ruin his apparent happiness. He seemed to really be enjoying Christmas this year, and that to me was bittersweet. I couldn't help but wonder how short-lived that enjoyment would be.

I came into Ike's later that night, his gift clutched precariously in my hand. I spotted him across the room, sitting at the bar and watching as Haleh and Morris sang their Christmas duet. I walked across the room, taking a deep, steady breath. This was it.

"What's this?" He asked, grinning as I placed the red bag which held his present on the bar.

"Part of your present," I replied, returning his grin with some reluctance. "Open it."

He glanced at me for a moment, and then down at his present. He chuckled, reaching into the bag and pulling out the snow globe I had bought him. "Wow," He exclaimed over-zealously. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," I replied with a small smile.

"This beats what I got you," He said, handing me the small wooden box for the second time that day. "Open yours."

I pulled open the top of the gift, revealing a small, silver compass. I quirked an eyebrow at him, unsure of what made him buy me something so strange. "A compass?"

"I know it's corny, but…" He paused awkwardly. "It seems we always find each other."

"It's beautiful," I replied sincerely. His words touched me, and I knew that after such a statement, I couldn't put off my news any longer. "Can we talk?"

"Yeah, sure," He responded, his face falling. It looked as though he was fear the worst. Really, he had no idea. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Maybe go outside for a minute?"

He nodded, and we grabbed our coats before heading outside.

"Okay," I began, walking out the door. "I don't know how to say this…"

"What?" He interrupted, following me down the sidewalk.

"Well, it's just that these past three weeks have been really…I, you know…I couldn't have imagined it…" I was stammering now, searching for just the right words to express just how I felt about our situation. The time we had been spending together really _had_ been great, and I just didn't want to have to give all that up.

"For me, too!"

"Yeah, and I haven't laughed so much or felt so good in a really, really long time…and I don't want to do anything to ruin that."

"Hey!" He stopped my rant, placing his hand on my shoulder. "You won't, I promise."

"Luka…"

"Yeah?"

_Here it goes_, I thought. "Oh, man…"

"What?" He questioned, looking highly concerned. Whatever it was that he thought I was going to say, I knew he was completely off. Nevertheless, he looked almost as nervous as I felt. If I wasn't so preoccupied, I would have been flattered.

"I'm pregnant," I blurted out. That was the first time all day that I had announced those words, and the product of which was overwhelmingly daunting. I watched as he simply stared at me, lost for words. I could almost see the millions of thoughts that had been dancing around my head all day cross through his mind.

"Are you sure?" He asked, his voice soft but compassionate. I nodded slowly, almost expecting him to turn around and head back inside. Instead, he wrapped his arms around me, kissing the top of my head. "Oh, Abby…"

"Merry Christmas, Luka," I whispered into chest.

* * *

Well, there's chapter two. I want to thank everyone for all the positive reviews. I really wasn't sure how this would go over, but I'm definitely going to continue it. I'm going to try and keep each update relatively long, so you should expect the next chapter within a couple of days. Once again, thank you for reading. :) 


	3. Everything

Chapter Three – Everything 

_You see everything, you see every part  
You see all my light and you love my dark  
You dig everything of which I'm ashamed  
There's not anything to which you can't relate  
And you're still here_

-Alanis Morissette "Everything"

* * *

The breeze was bitter, but its icy tone seemed to just blow right through me. I was feeling quite numb, and the temperature had absolutely nothing to do with it. I had made the most important decision of my life today; a decision that would affect the lives of two…no, _three_ people.

I walked along the sidewalk outside of the clinic, still completely shaken from what had just happened. Had I made the right choice? Should I have let Coburn go through with the termination?

But every time I even thought about what I came so close to doing, I was filled with an overwhelming sense of dread. This pregnancy just wasn't the same as the last one. Sure, the circumstances were completely different, but there was something else…something I couldn't quite put my finger on.

I decided to turn a different way, avoiding the shorter route back home. I wasn't on tonight at work unless they paged me, so I didn't have to worry too much about getting home on time. Besides, a nice long walk by the water sounded pretty damn good right about now.

I made it about halfway home before I realized I needed to take a break, and thankfully, there was a bench set out overlooking the water nearby. I took a seat, allowing my mind to wander freely.

"I went by your place," Came a familiar voice, startling me out of my reverie. I turned to face a rather defeated looking Luka, who nevertheless appeared to be on some sort of mission. "But I figured you might come home this way."

I stared at Luka for a few moments, unsure of what I could possibly say to him. I ran through a bunch of different scenarios, none of which seemed appropriate. In the end, I decided to just let him continue with what he wanted to say.

"I don't want everything we have to come down to this one decision," He continued soberly. He paused, studying my expression. "We can get past it. You did what you had to do…that doesn't mean we can't be together." It was then that I knew I had to stop him from saying anything more. I took a few seconds to process exactly what he was trying to tell me: Regardless of if there's a baby in our future or not, he still wants to be with me.

"I didn't do it," I announced nervously. I bit my lip before continuing. "I couldn't…I want to keep it." I watched as he took a deep breath, taking in my words. "I want us to have this baby."

Luka walked around the bench and sat down next to me, taking my hand in his and placing it on his lap. _We're all right_, I told myself. _We're all right and now we're going to have a baby_. I knew there was nothing more I could say, so instead I leaned up against him as we stared out over the water.

"Let's go home, Abby," He whispered after we had been sitting there for almost twenty minutes. Neither one of us had spoken at all during that time, and I think his sudden statement had surprised us both. "It's pretty cold out here."

"All right," I said, pulling myself up into a stand. Luka followed, my hand still in his. Together, we walked the rest of the way back to my apartment.

* * *

"What made you decide?" Luka asked. We were at his place now, stretched out together on his couch. A few boxes of leftover Chinese takeout lay forgotten on his coffee table, as neither one of us were in the mood to cook that night. He twirled a finger through a strand of hair that was poking free from my ponytail, anticipating my answer.

"I just knew that I couldn't," I replied, tilting my head to one side pensively. "Ever since I found out, I wasn't sure if I was ready to be a mother, and honestly, I'm still not sure." I leaned back against his chest, enjoying the feel of his warm body against mine. "But when I was at the clinic, I saw all those mothers and little kids, and I knew that I want that. I want that with you, Luka."

He smiled and kissed the back of my neck. "I want that with you, too, Abby," He murmured, rubbing the small of my back. "And you can never really be ready for this anyway. You just learn as you go…trial and error."

"I know," I nodded slowly. "But in my case, there's going to be a lot more error than trial." He chuckled softly. "What? You know it's true."

"I think you're going to be a good mother," He stated seriously. "I've always thought that."

"Well, it's not as if I've really ever had an example of one."

He shook his head. "Abby, you took care of your little brother when your mother wasn't around at a very young age, and you were a nurse for years and years. Both of those things require a large amount of nurturing and instinct." He placed his hand underneath my chin, lifting my head up to look him in the eye. "What makes you think you can't do the same for our baby?"

"That's just it, I don't know," I responded anxiously. "You've spent the last two weeks trying to convince me of the same thing, Luka, and it wasn't until today that I even started to believe I could do this…"

"_We_ can do this," Luka interrupted, resting his forehead against mine. "You're not alone this time. We're going to do this together."

I smiled, closing the distance between us just enough to kiss him softly. He responded by wrapping his arms around my waist, holding me tightly against his chest. It was times like these that I felt so secure, and so unbelievably content. He was right…we _can_ do this as long as we're together.

* * *

All right, now I'm pretty serious about not updating for a couple of days. I stayed home from school today and yesterday, which was why I was able to get together three chapters of this in less than two days. Once again, I'd like to thank everyone for the wonderful reviews I've received on this…they're really what has inspired me to keep going. :) 


	4. Slide

Author's Note:

I'm so sorry it took me so long to update this story! I've had so much to do at the end of the school year, and I just kept putting it off. It's finally summer now, and I expect to have a lot of time to continue this one. I want to thank everyone for reading, and of course the lovely reviews I've received. You guys are the greatest!

* * *

Chapter Four – Slide 

_And I'll do anything you ever  
Dreamed to be complete  
Little pieces of the nothing that fall  
May put your arms around me  
What you feel is what you are  
And what you are is beautiful_

-Goo Goo Dolls "Slide"

* * *

"Ssh, she'll hear us."

"Why do you care so much if anyone hears us?"

"I don't want to have to answer any questions."

Luka rolled his eyes dramatically, and I could tell he was slowly but surely getting fed up with my antics. After all, it was through my insistence that we even began this little shopping trip, let alone come into this particular store.

I sighed deeply and grabbed his hand, steering him around a large display of stuffed animals. "If we go this way, maybe she won't see us. We can sneak out that door over there."

"Abby, you're impossible," He replied, allowing himself to be pulled along toward the exit.

"Proud of it," I muttered, pushing the door open and hurrying out onto the street. I glanced back into the store, taking notice of both the overly persistent salesclerk and Debbie Dawkins from the pharmacy. Both women seemed to be occupied with something or other, and appeared completely unaffected by our silent getaway. _Success_.

"I don't think you realize how silly you're acting right now," Luka teased, leaning up against the building and surveying me with an expression of sheer amusement. "You look like a little kid on Christmas."

"That was a clean escape!" I exclaimed, throwing my hands in the air. "Neither one of them saw us!"

Luka chuckled softly, clearly entertained by my excitement. "Did you want a metal?"

"Nice. Real nice." I glared at him. He was so insolent.

"_Ab-by_," He droned, looking slightly guilty. "Abby, I was only kidding with…" He paused as a mischievous grin spread across my face. "Look who's being so nice now!"

"Come on, let's get back," I said, grabbing his hand and walking down the street. "It's been a long day, and I don't think there are too many baby store dressing rooms left for us to christen."

* * *

"I wonder which one of us she'll look like," I announced, hours later. We were both in the lounge, working a late shift. It had been a very slow night, and we were both busy catching up on charts.

"I thought you didn't want anyone to hear you talk about that," Luka replied without glancing up from his work. I shrugged nonchalantly, glancing around.

"No one's in here. Neela's finishing up whatever's left on the board, and Morris is sleeping in three."

"No surprise there."

I grinned. "You still didn't answer my question."

He placed his pen down, finally giving me his full attention. "It's hard to say. We don't know which one of our genes will be stronger."

"But I want to know what you _think_ he's going to look like."

"You said she before."

I rolled my eyes in exasperation. "You're changing the subject!"

He laughed softly. "Calm down, Abby." He glanced at the clock. "My shift's over. When does yours end?"

"Two hours ago," I replied, grabbing my coat from off the back of my chair. "Want to take the El?"

He nodded, helping me into my coat and grabbing his own. He could be such a gentleman sometimes without even noticing it. _Must be a European thing_.

"You're both off?" Neela asked, as we passed by the Admit Desk. She looked slightly disappointed. "I'm on till morning."

"I've been off for a while," I replied, following Luka past the desk. "See you tomorrow?"

Neela nodded and waved us off, absorbing herself into one of her own charts.

Silently, we walked through the bay and down the street, his arm looped through mine. We were both a little tired, him especially considering how often I'd been keeping him awake lately. Sleeping for me was becoming a challenge, and I had taken to tossing around at night until I finally succumbed to my fatigue. Luka would never admit to it, but I could tell he was starting to become a little frustrated.

He grabbed my hand and we dashed up the stairs to the El, thankfully making the first train we saw. I glanced around the train, finding a seat close to the front and gesturing to it. He nodded, and we both sat down.

Slowly, I felt his arm snake around my shoulders. He ran his hand across the small of my back, rubbing it soothingly. "You," He muttered tenderly.

I furrowed my brow in confusion. "Me?"

He nodded, his hand traveling around my back to rest on my middle. "I hope our baby looks like you."

I blinked, a small smile playing about my lips. _Did he really just say that?_ Deciding that my own words simply weren't enough to appease his own, I leaned into him, resting my head on his shoulder as we sped through Chicago.

* * *

I'm actually almost finished with Chapter Five, so expect to see that in the next couple of days. Hope you're all enjoying this as much as I am. :) 


	5. Soul to Squeeze

Chapter Five – Soul to Squeeze

_Where I go I just don't know  
I got to got to gotta take it slow.  
When I find my piece of mind  
I'm gonna give you some of my good time._

-Red Hot Chili Peppers "Soul to Squeeze"

-----------------------

"All right, Abby, everything looks good so far." Janet Coburn wiped the gel from the sonogram off my belly and pulled my shirt back down over my torso. "However, I'd like to discuss a few other things with you."

Luka, who had been sitting on the other side of my bed, furrowed his brow slightly. "I saw the sonogram. You were right, everything looks—"

Janet held up a hand, cutting him off. "Everything _appears_ fine, Dr. Kovac. What Abby and I need to go over is standard procedure for high risk pregnancies, which as you both know includes all women thirty-five and older."

"Amniocentesis," I replied, frowning slightly. Janet nodded.

"I know this is all review for you two, but I have to make sure you're informed. The probability of most genetic birth defects increases as you age, Abby. You're almost at fourteen weeks, and we want to be able to rule out as many abnormalities as we can this late in the game."

Luka and I exchanged a glance. We both knew all about the procedure, including the risks involved. Even so, the small voice in the back of my mind begged me to agree. I just needed to know everything I could about our baby, and I could tell Luka felt similarly.

Luka studied my expression. "You're sure?"

I nodded in response. "We might as well."

Janet smiled back and forth between us, folding her arms across her chest. "Of course, as with any procedure, you need to be made aware of the risks."

Luka and I listened as Janet gave us an overview of everything to expect. She even went as giving us a detailed explanation of everything from the preparation to the aftereffects. "We can schedule you in as soon as you'd like."

-----------------------

Luka and I left the clinic not long after, still reeling from the most recent information we had been given regarding the baby. We walked the relatively short distance from the entrance to where Luka had parked the car in silence.

I glanced over at Luka, studying his expression with utmost curiosity. He held the newest addition to his growing collection of sonogram images in his right hand. I watched him steal a glance at the black and white photo before directing his attention to me, a large grin spreading across his face.

"Getting big, huh?" He asked, holding up the photo.

I grinned playfully. "Why do you think I made you take me shopping for new jeans yesterday?"

He laughed, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me close. "If I didn't know you, I wouldn't even be able to tell."

I rolled my eyes, pulling his keys out of his coat pocket. The car lit up as it unlocked, and we both climbed inside.

"You hungry?" He asked, backing out of the parking lot. He chuckled when I nodded enthusiastically.

"What?" I frowned. "I'm not allowed to be hungry?"

"Just teasing, Abby," He murmured, reaching for my hand and squeezing it gently.

We drove around aimlessly for a while before deciding on having something to eat at a nearby diner. Neither one of us was feeling much like any kind of takeout, but we still wanted to remain as low-key as possible.

Luka ordered a sandwich, but I was feeling a bit more like a cheeseburger and fries. The diner was relatively empty, and our food arrived quickly.

"Is that Ray?" Luka suddenly asked, glancing out the window. He pointed toward the other side of the street, where sure enough, Ray Barnett seemed to be waiting for the traffic to lessen before he crossed.

"Who's that with him?" I asked, pointing to the woman accompanying him. She had her hood up in the cold weather, and it was difficult to see her face from so far away. As the pair crossed the street, a strand of dark hair came loose from the woman's hood, and her identity was revealed.

"It's Neela!" I exclaimed, pulling my cell phone out of my purse and dialing her number. I watched as Neela reached into her own bag and answered her phone.

"She and Ray were on break," I explained to Luka after hanging up the phone. "They were planning on heading over here anyway. Apparently, Ray's been raving about their Chicken Caesar Wrap for months."

Luka chuckled. "Right."

Ray and Neela walked through the diner door a few moments later. Luka helped Ray and Neela push another table next to ours, and the four of us sat down to a late lunch.

"So you were both off today?" Ray asked, scanning the menu. "I'm _telling_ you, Neela, _Chicken Caesar Wrap._ You've got to try it."

I nodded. "Luka was, but I had an appointment, so I took the day off."

"What kind of appointment?" Ray asked curiously. "You're not sick, right?"

Luka and I exchanged a glance. "No, I'm not sick. It was routine."

"Routine?" Neela piped up, frowning at me. "You didn't tell me anything that."

I knew I was in for it. If I didn't tell Neela now, she was sure to bug me about it later, and I was willing to bet money on Ray pulling something similar on her. "I wasn't going to tell anyone about it…yet," I replied thoughtfully.

Neela frowned, clearly confused. "Why not?"

"Because I figured you'd catch on in a few months anyway." Luka stared at me in disbelief. I _had_ told him I wanted to keep things secret, and here I was, confessing to Neela and Ray.

"Wait…are you?" Ray's eyes widened.

"You're pregnant!" Neela announced. Her eyes traveled from me to Luka and back again, as though unsure of which one of us she ought to badger first. "Since when?"

"We found out around Christmas," Luka replied sheepishly. It was obviously an uncomfortable subject to be discussing with his employees.

"Congratulations!" Ray grinned broadly. "I mean, I knew you guys were together, but I didn't know you were _seriously_ together."

"Thanks," I responded, smiling back. Neela still looked completely shocked, but I figured it would wear off eventually. Nevertheless, I was sure to expect an in-depth phone conversation later that night covering all the 'finer details.'

-----------------------

Our appointment came and went, though my nervousness, especially when I caught sight of needle used in the Amnio, peaked considerably. Luka held my hand throughout, and Janet even talked me through the procedure. We were told to expect the results within two weeks.

To say my anticipation grew as we awaited word from Coburn's office would be a severe understatement, and I found myself more and more on edge with each passing day. The morning before I was scheduled to make the phone call was especially tense, and I just couldn't help snapping at Morris when we had been particularly annoying.

When we received the results, it was as though a great weight was lifted from my shoulders. I could barely hear the nurse's voice on the other end of the phone after she had told me that everything was normal. The only thing that seemed to register with my consciousness was Luka's hand and the assurance that our baby was perfectly fine.

I fell into his lap, the phone still in my hand as he rocked me back and forth lovingly. We kissed, intricately pouring our mutual feelings of relief and excitement together.

"Did they tell you?" He murmured into my neck. His hand slid down to my middle, caressing the slight roundness that had only just begun to make an appearance.

"Tell me what?" I responded unconsciously, lost in the moment.

He trailed kisses from my neck to my cheek, stopping at my lips. After kissing me soundly, he replied, "the sex."

"You want to know the sex?" I pulled away, caught off guard.

"Don't you?"

I frowned, tilting my head questioningly. "Well, I didn't ask…"

"Oh, what's going on in here?" We were interrupted by Morris, who, as per usual, had strolled into the room without knocking. "A little doctor-to-doctor _discussion_?"

"Go clear a patient, Morris," Luka droned, leading me out of the lounge. "Or better yet, I think Albright might be looking for you."

At that, Morris' eyes lit up. He glanced around excitedly. "Albright? Where?"

-----------------------

I know I probably don't deserve reviews after how long I made you guys wait for that chapter, but a little comment or two would still be highly appreciated! I actually _did_ have most of this written ages ago, but after changing computers, starting school, and finishing up my AP summer work, updating this story just continued to fall to the bottom of my priority list. I really do apologize to anyone who was anticipating this chapter, and I'll try my hardest not to go this long without the next one…again. :-/


End file.
